Alternating current rectifier apparatus for the dry surface contact type



ALTERNATING CURRENT 'RECTIFIER APPARATUS OF THE DRY SURFACE CONTACT TYPE Filed Oct. 17, 1942 March 28, 1944. L. H PETER ET AL 2,345,499

l IHF/R Afro/52M Patented Mar. 28, 1944 ALTERNATING CURRENT RECTIFIER AP- PARATUS F THE DRY SURFACE CONTACT TYPE Leslie, Hurst Peter andV Sydney Arthur Stevens, London, England, assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Union -Switch and Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania `Application October 17, 1942, Serial No. 462,374

In Great Britain June 6, 1941 1 Claim.

This invention relates to alternating current rectifier apparatus of the dry surface contact type of the kind comprising a number of rectifier elements superposed one upon the other in a pile or column.

Interposed between each or certain of adjacent pairs of the rectier elements in the pile or column is a spacer member associated with a connector member also serving as a cooling iin for the purpose of dissipating the heat generated in the rectifier elements during operation.

It will be understood that the purpose of the spacer members is to provide the necessary intervals between the cooling fins required for the necessary electrical connections and the Aeffective circulation of air or other cooling uid, and the invention has for its object to provide improved arrangements for enabling the connections between the members to be readily and conveniently effected, whereby the manufacture and assembly of the rectier is facilitated and cheapened. I

According to the invention each or certain Aof the connector or cooling iin members is provided with a connection lug adapted to be secured to the member at one or other of two or more alternative positions each of which is asymmetrically situated relative to the centre line of the member and so as to project outwards from the member in substantially the plane thereof. By reversing the position of the connector member in the column a further equal number of possible positions of the connection lugs relative to the centre line of the member is thus obtained so that when the rectifier is assembled the lugs of the connector members will lie in a corresponding number of straight lines on one side or the other of the plane containing the centre lines of the connector members and the lugs in each line may thus be electrically connected together by straight bars or wires.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 oi which is a view in side elevation partly sectional of a rectifier comprising connector or cooling fin members constructed and arranged' in accordance with one form of the invention, Figure 2 being a view thereof in end elevation. l l

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are diagrams illustrating various methods of connection of the rectifier elements in accordance with the invention.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that the rectifier comprises a number of rectifier elements I separated by cooling iins 2, 3 each consisting of a rectangular aluminum plate provided on each face with a central annular rib or boss 4 formed integral with the plate which serve to space the cooling ns apart from one another.v

The elements I and the cooling fins 2, 3 are each provided with a central aperture forv accommodating a bolt or spindle 5 surrounded by an insulating sleeve 6 on which the elements and ns are mounted, a metal washer l, an insulating washer 8 and a spring Washer 9 being provided at each end of the spindle 5 together with nuts I0 for clamping the whole assembly together.

Certain of the ns as for example that indicated at 3 in Figures 1 ,and 2 and hereinafter termed connector plates, are provided with a connection member or lug II, I2 consisting of a rectangular strip of tin-coated copper sheet folded on itself so as to form a clip adapted to be tted on to the edge of the plate 3 and secured thereon by transverse rivets I3 extending through the lug I I and the plate 3, tWo sets of rivet holes being provided'at different distances from the centre of the plate so as to provide alternative positions indicated at X and Z for the attachment of the lug II.

IIthat is to say, the folded end of the strip of which the lug is composed is so formed as to provide a cylindrical channel I4 parallel to the edge of the connector plate 3, this end of the lug-being also provided with a longitudinal slot I5 at right angles to the plate 3.

` Before the rectifier elements are assembled a lug is attached to each or certain of the connector plates at-one or other of the alternative positions of attachment X or Z, being secured so that after assembly the lugs Il or I2 of the connector plates to be electrically connected together all lie in a straight line parallel to the bolt or spindle 5, having lugs II and Ii' attached in the X position.

By assembling the connector plates in a normal or reverse position (as indicated at the right and left hand sides of Figure 2) two such lines of connection can evidently be formed while a third line is formed by the lugs I2 attached to connector plates in the Z position. A corresponding number of the connector plates may thus be conveniently electrically connected by means of a Wire, bar or strip (indicated in dotted lines at IB in Figure 1) entering the slotsl in the aligned lugs of the conductor plates and secured thereto by soldering.

It will-be understood that by assembling certain Theouter end of the lug 2 astuces tween assembled rectiiler umts `on two or more diierent spindles or rods are' effected by bars, wires or cables adapted to enter the cylindrical channels i4 in the lugs of the connector plates required to be thus connected.

Referring now to Figure 3 it will be seen that the rectiiler unit illustrated comprises four sections a, b. c, d each comprising a number of rectiiler elements arranged as to their direction of current ow as indicated by the arrows together with cooling fins 2 between each eiernent. The sections are separated by connector elements having lugs ii' and i2 while connector` elements having lugs H are provided at each end of the unit. The two lugs il are connected.

together as above described to constitute the positive rectiiled current terminal of the unit, the lug I2 constituting the negative terminal, while the lugs H' 'constitutes the input or a1- ternating current terminals.

Referring now to Figure 4 a rectifier unit is illustrated comprising eight sections a, b, c, d and a', b', c', d arranged in two parallel-connected groups each similar to the unit of Figure 3. The three lugs Il connected together constitute theV positive rectiiled current or output terminal, the connected lugs I2 constituting the negative or other output terminal while the pairs `ci? conected lugs Il' constitute the input or altemating current terminals.

Figure 5 illustrates a three phase rectiiler unit comprising three groups of rectier sections each similar' to that oi Figure 3, the three pairs of connected lugs il' in this case constitute input terminals connected to the three phases of the supply circuit.

.Many other systems of connections of the sections of a rectifier unit may be formed in a similarmanner and it will be evident that a relatively large number oi different systems of connection may thus be effected by means of straight bars or wires thus greatly facilitating ready assembly,

The invention is evidently not limited to the particular construction of connector plates and lugs above described and illustrated by way of example which may be varied as desired in order to meet particular conditions.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of'our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we

declare that what we claim is:

Alternating current rectier apparatus comprising a plurality of rectier elements arranged in a column together with connector members disposed'ln said column in which the connector members are each provided with a connection lug adapted to be secured to the member at a dierent one of two or more alternative positions each of which is asymmetrically situated relative to the center line of the member and so as to project outwards from the member in substantially the plane thereof, whereby by reverslng the positions of some oi the connector members in the column with respect to the *A others/a. number of possible positions of the connector lugs equal to twice the number of possible lug positions for each connector is obtained so that when the rectifier is assembled the lugs of the connector members will be in a corresponding number of straight lines on one side or the other of the plane containing the center line of the connector members and the lugs in each line may be electrically connected together by straight bars or wires.

'LESLIE HURST PE'I'ER.

SYDNEY ARTHUR STEVENS. 

